TELANGANA – Poshan Maah – 28 Days, 28 States

Telangana is known for its distinctive cuisine that includes a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Being a semi-arid state, the staple food in Telangana is not rice but millet. As a result, a variety of millets are used to make wholesome and rustic breads that are enjoyed with spicy accompaniments. Thanks to the inclusion of red chillies in the preparations, the food of the region is the spiciest in the Deccan region.

The food in its capital city, Hyderabad is different from the rest of the state. The Qutub Shahi and Nizami influence of about 400 years gave Indian gastronomy a much-celebrated chapter that includes biryani, haleem, dalcha, murg ka kurma, qubani ka meetha, and many other delicacies. Much of the cuisine was developed in the royal kitchens. Slow cooking, which has been influenced by the Dum Pukht method used in Awadhi cuisine, is the hallmark of Hyderabadi cuisine.
Telangana food has many similarities to Andhra, Maharashtrian, and Karnataka cuisine, given that it is bordered by these states. Here is a peek into the mouthwatering delicacies that Telangana has to offer.

SARVA PINDI:
Sarva Pindi is an excellent choice for a healthy breakfast or snack as it is cooked with at least one component of each stage of the food pyramid. It is a savoury pancake made of rice flour, chana dal, peanuts, and chilli. It is cooked in a deep, round-shaped pan, and holes are made in the rolled-out dough mixture before cooking it. It is also called Ginne Appa owing to its style of preparation.

MALIDALU:
What do we do with leftover chapatis? Eat with sabzi the next day? Well, the people of Telangana have made a unique recipe with leftover chapatis that is not only tasty but also healthy and sweet. Malidalu is made of chapati pieces combined with a mix of jaggery, cashews, pista, and ghee and shaped into small balls. Fully packed with nutrients, it is the best solution for anyone craving a sweet after a meal.

GARIJALU:
With a crispy exterior, Garijalu also called Kajjikaya has a sweet filling consisting of dry grated coconut, sugar, and hints of cardamom. It is deep-fried and its shape as you can see, resembles Karanji; a sweet dish of Maharashtra. The crispy shell is made of maida and rolled out into circles, which is then folded after the filling is stuffed and the shape resembles a half-moon. Although the origin of Garijalu is not known and has been shared between different states of India, the people of Telangana have been enjoying making these for generations now.

HYDERABADI BIRYANI:
The major influence of Nizams in the state has led to Hyderabadi Biryani which is known worldwide as one of India’s jewelled food items. It is of two types; Kachchi gosht ki biryani and Pakki biryani. Marinated meat is cooked in layers of rice in a big handi which is covered with flat dough that eventually rises due to heat; indicating that the biryani is ready. With two different cooking methods producing mouthwatering results, the biryani has transformed over the years to satisfy everyone’s taste buds and it even has a vegetarian version.

CHEGODILU:
A tea-time accompaniment, Chegodilu is a crunchy snack item that is almost impossible to stop munching on after the first bite. Toasted sesame seeds are the special feature of this deep-fried snack giving it a unique nutty flavour that goes well with the mild spiciness.

Robust food, cooked with locally available ingredients is the hallmark of Telangana cuisine. But the cuisine is not represented enough in Hyderabad given its simplistic origins and presentation. Recent years has seen a resurgence of Telangana cuisines in restaurants around Hyderabad with the availability of Telangana thali dish for lunch. With the formation of the new state, one is hopeful that this rustic cuisine gets its due.